Valparaiso

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I had really wanted to see this town after a friend visited a couple of years ago and told me about the street art. As our flight was the same day as the ship's arrival there was little time for sight-seeing and the transfer to Santiago airport. I arranged with Tours by Locals for Leoncio to collect us from the port, tour specific areas of the hills then take us to the airport. We had expedited disembarkation as we had heard horror stories of hours to get out of the port but were first through and half hour ahead of our schedule.

Leoncio arrived right on time with a comfortable vehicle and stowed our luggage in the boot. First he drove us up into the Cerros to the ones I particularly asked to see - dropping us off to walk down the narrow lanes and even paying our tickets to go on a funicular ride to the bottom and back. He made sure our bags were safe throughout our morning by staying with the car and directing us to the places to explore the wall paintings. He provided drinks for the journey and a full commentary on life in the area including its history and how people live nowadays. Leoncio was quite amusing in telling us about his own life in Santiago - and said that his wife had asked him to take her to lunch but he needed to work. I told him that our check-in was lunch time so he could get back and please his wife, ha ha.

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